Colorado Rockies / MLB

Former Cardinals and current National League all-star manager Tony La Russa's interviews are more for fun now. "Now, I'm never wrong," he said of watching the game from afar. (Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One more lineup card for Tony La Russa to fill out. One more chance to put on the uniform.

One more time is enough.

The man who went out on top last fall after leading the St. Louis Cardinals to an improbable World Series championship, and now is getting a unique encore, swears he doesn't miss managing. He insists it's a lot more fun watching the game from the stands or on TV, where he can do all the second-guessing instead of answering questions about why he yanked his starter in the sixth inning for a pinch hitter who grounded into a double play.

"I don't miss it at all," La Russa said. "Now, I'm never wrong."

That doesn't mean the 67-year-old La Russa isn't taking his job as NL manager in the All-Star Game seriously.

La Russa always plays to win, no matter the stakes.

"I don't know if there are any people more competitive than Tony," Cardinals all-star Matt Holliday said. "He's right at the top of the list."

Whatever moves La Russa makes, they won't be for the novelty. The Cardinals certainly benefited from home-field advantage last fall when they beat the Texas Rangers in Game 7 in St. Louis.

Clearly, La Russa is appreciative of this curtain call. He's just the fourth inactive manager to lead an all-star team, and the first since Bob Lemon in 1979 after being fired as manager of the New York Yankees. And La Russa will do his best not to disappoint anybody while remembering he's a baseball fan.

No matter. There's plenty of talent for the old manager to sift through.

"I like this lineup," La Russa said. "This is a pretty easy one to write."

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